Forever and Beyond
by unprettierxo
Summary: Now that their adventure is over, the party must rebuild their lives and the rest of Gaia. Post-final battle, slight AU.
1. Escape

**A/N:** Takes place immediately after Kuja dies at the end of the game and before that tree branch thing tries to crush him and Zidane both. "Slight AU" in the fact that this is basically my own version of the game's ending but I'll be pulling elements from the original as well. Zidane/Dagger will be the primary focus but the story is about everyone in general.

* * *

Zidane stared dumbly at Kuja's now lifeless body. He had risked life and limb, for whatever reason, to travel down the Iifa Tree and save him but it was to no avail. Kuja had breathed his last breath and he'd left the world with remorse, regret, and guilt. And that was something the people of Gaia would never know.

But maybe it was better that way.

As the Thief pondered his fallen brother, his words to his friends earlier sprung to mind.

_I'll catch up with you all later._

It was a promise he now intended to keep but it wasn't going to be an easy one to follow through with.

Vines thrashed about wildly and the ground shook with great vigor. Zidane glanced down at Kuja sadly, perhaps one silent final goodbye, and then jumped, climbing limb by limb up the huge tree. His body throbbed painfully with each crawl but he pushed through despite it. Using his tail to latch onto a branch above him, he dodged a large vine hurdling down the tree and propelled himself upward.

He sighed as he looked down, only now realizing just how big the tree truly was. Suddenly, a loud crack hurled Zidane high into the air and he wailed his arms and legs frantically as he tried to ready himself for whatever harsh landing befell him. Just as he began to lower back down again, he lunged himself forward and managed to grip into the bark of the tree long enough to land on one of the branches not far below.

He glanced down again and was relieved to see that the impact had furthered him along quite a bit. But roots and vines were still hot on his tail and he knew just crawling was no longer going to cut it.

Zidane balanced himself and began to run, leaping from limb to limb as fast as his legs could carry him. Though the tree itself was much easier to scale now, it was beginning to react more violently than ever and dodging its wild roots would be no easy feat. Still he persisted and before he knew it the surface was near.

Finally at the top he took one final leap, managing to grab onto the ledge above him, or dangle rather. His fingers dug deeply into the ground as he tried to ready himself to climb but try as he might, he didn't have the strength to pull himself up. "Dammit!" he growled, digging into the ground so hard he could feel the skin from his fingers begin to tear. Beneath him the tree's limbs continued to plunge deep into the darkness below and he realized he had no other choice but to get up there if he wanted to live.

"Come on, they're waiting on you," he pleaded with himself, "_Dagger's waiting_."

With a loud roar as pain shot through every inch of his body, he dragged himself up to the surface and rolled across the solid ground. He lay there for a minute, in and out of consciousness, before the earth began to move below him and from his blurred vision he could see the tree practically mutilating itself. Staggering to his feet, Zidane limped away from the Sanctuary but as adrenaline rushed through his veins he began to move faster.

His pain was now his fire, pushing him further with every single step. The ground glided below him as though he was flying and the more he ran, the less he could feel it shake. He was quite far from the tree now but he hadn't dared to look back to see for himself.

His adrenaline could only fuel him for so long though and eventually he couldn't take it anymore. Toppling over to the ground, Zidane cried out as his emotions over swept him. His body throbbed with every breath and he pushed his face into the dirt as tears fell; overwhelmed with the sheer shock and relief that he was alive. When he'd finally calmed, he noticed Madain Sari in the distance but he knew he didn't have the strength to get himself there.

"Help!" he screamed across the dried plains, "Somebody help!"

His voice echoed like a typhoon, disturbing the still air with its mighty drone. But there was no response. Just the dry desert air and him laying in the middle of it all. Alone.

Zidane pressed his face back into the ground in anguish and had no choice but to succumb to unconsciousness.


	2. Recovery

"He's dead."

Though mist lingered, the sky was a surprisingly clear shade of deep blue and the air was still, a quiet calm after everything that had transpired. For the first time since the earthquake that Iifa's roots caused, the land seemed at peace.

"He's not dead."

Zidane lay still on a stone slab, clothing wet, dirty, and crumpled and his hair now a mess of yellow and pink from an injury to the head. The rest of his body bore worse wounds and despite every effort, he wouldn't respond; not to sound, not to touch, not to smell. It seemed pretty obvious:

"He's definitely dead."

Increasingly impatient with the interruptions from Lani, Chimomo sighed loudly, "He's not dead, kupo!"

The former bounty hunter rolled her eyes but she couldn't ignore the tinge of concern she felt in her stomach. She didn't know Zidane all that well but she'd never seen him like this before. And she gathered no one else who'd known him had either. Still, the moogles insisted he would be alright and now they were doing their best to make sure that was so. Just as they had with Lani not that long ago.

"Broken ribs, bruised bones," Chimomo flew around Zidane's body as he inspected his wounds, "he's beat up pretty bad!" Before Lani could insist one more time that she was sure Zidane had croaked, the moogle swore that he would wake up within a few hours. "He's hurt but resting will be good for him."

Lani shrugged, taking a seat beside the unconscious Thief as the rest of the moogles tended to him. She was proof that they knew what they were doing so she decided not to bother them any longer.

"Moco, send a letter to Black Mage Village asking for assistance!" Momatose ordered. "Don't tell them anything though, kupo!"

Moco gave a resounding 'kupo' back, gliding over to the table to jot down a list of everything they would need. They had enough supplies to sustain his injuries for now, but they would need much more to fully heal his wounds.

Eventually the moogles had scattered about in search of various ways to help Zidane and Lani had been left alone to watch over him. He hadn't moved in hours and she had to place her hand over his mouth just to ensure he was still breathing. She stayed of the opinion that his time was done but the moogles weren't going to give up on him so she decided to just accept that. She didn't know what he'd been through but with the absence of his friends and the look of his current condition, she could only assume it was literal hell.

Suddenly, labored breathing interrupted her thoughts and Lani realized Zidane was slowly coming out of his comatose state.

Opening his eyes, Zidane could see a faint figure through clouded vision sitting at his side. His surroundings were unfamiliar to him but he sensed no danger and the shock of awaking in an unknown environment began to fade. Barely coherent, he turned his gaze to Lani and squinted as he tried to identify her.

"Dagger?" Lani cast a glance at her axe then back at Zidane. "Dagger," he said again, this time with relief, and a faint smile crept across his face, "I-I didn't think I'd ever... see you again."

"Whoa buddy," Lani drawled, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, "I think you hit your head a bit too hard there."

He ignored her, too wrapped up in his delirium, "I'm sorry. I-I-I should've... I should have never went back for him."

The redhead stared at Zidane with confusion and curiosity. She didn't understand what he was talking about one word from the next but it was... interesting, to say the least. Unfortunately for her inquiring mind, he was clearly in no condition to carry on a conversation with her. So, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and reassured him that he would see the Dagger he spoke of soon enough.

Whether Zidane had heard her or not was unclear, but he relaxed back onto the rock nonetheless and didn't dare try to speak or move after that. Lani took the opportunity to seek out Morrison, who was searching for some herbs near the Eidolon Wall, to inform him that Zidane had awaken.

The moogle popped up from the waterfall as Lani stood watching overhead. He was holding several herbs now and lightened his load by giving Lani some to carry.

"He's awake but he's acting like a lunatic," the bounty-hunter told Morrison as they walked back to Eiko's house. "He was talking about a dagger and some guy he left somewhere."

"That sounds scary, kupo."

It was a bit suspicious, Lani agreed, but there wasn't much to be done about figuring out the details now.

Once they arrived back to Zidane, they were greeted with the rest of the moogles having already beat them there. Moco carried a large basket assorted with more first aid than needed, a gift quite obviously sent from their Black Mage neighbors, Momatose gathered water from nearby, and Chimomo had already began to bandage the gash on Zidane's forehead. Noticing an absence of one moogle, Lani quickly spotted Mocha at the stove heating the water that Momatose had now passed to him.

"Lani said he woke up briefly," said Morrison, handing over the herbs to Chimomo, "how's he doing?"

Before the moogle could answer, Zidane once again began to stir awake. With clearer vision, he recognized the shape floating above him as a moogle but he couldn't be bothered to try and speak. Instead, he lay still until the moogles finished cleaning him up. He still wasn't sure what was going on but his pain was lessening with each passing minute and that's all he could really care about.

Eventually, the moogles were done and Zidane was feeling substantially better than when he'd first arrived. Once he sat himself up, he placed his feet on the ground and stood carefully, surprised when he didn't fall. He felt a bit weak but the pain, which was all he could really remember, was practically gone. "Where am I?" he asked finally, still quite unable to comprehend his surroundings, "Where's Dagger?"

Lani walked toward him and the moogles followed, but before they could answer him, a voice from the left said: "You're in Madain Sari."

The bounty-hunter stared at the young girl who now came into view. She looked exactly like Zidane, so much so that Lani wondered if she'd taken some of Zidane's pain medication on accident. "Who are you?!" she demanded, having been sure the girl showed up completely uninvited.

"Mikoto," she answered evenly, her voice so flippant that Lani almost felt offended.

Zidane, his memory still quite fuzzy, asked, "What happened?"

"We were hoping you'd tell us," Lani offered but Mikoto felt no need to dawdle.

"You escaped from the Iifa Tree," the Genome told him, "Kuja is dead, Iifa is dormant, and the cycle of souls has stopped. Permanently."

Mikoto had returned to the tree mere hours ago, long after it had ceased to function. She could sense right away that Kuja no longer lived but she would be lying if she said she didn't expect the same fate of Zidane. She didn't understand it but somewhere deep inside the fact that he was alive made her feel relieved.

While Zidane let her words register for a bit, Lani stared dumbly at him and his twin, unable to follow the conversation. She cast a glance to her fellow moogles but they didn't know a thing either so she decided to just stand there quietly and listen. Maybe, though it was a long shot, the two would start to make sense at some point.

"How did I get here?"

"I found you about a mile from the beach," Lani told Zidane proudly, not without casting a glare towards Mikoto first. But she ignored her and kept her, albeit expressionless, gaze on her fellow Genome.

Zidane's brow furrowed. He was starting to recall his descent into the Iifa Tree but everything after Kuja's death was a total blur to him, though one could reason his injuries were to blame for that. He still felt weak but considering he'd only just been found that morning, he was doing exceptionally well.

Mikoto allowed him to assess his thoughts before speaking. "Your friends are waiting for you in Lindblum."

That hadn't occurred to him until just now. He wasn't used to being separated from the party like this but their journey had come to an end. Unfortunately for Zidane, his adventure wasn't quite over yet and he had the battle scars to prove it.

"You have no way of getting there," Lani cut in, "The only way in and out of the continent on foot is Fossil Roo."

Zidane's gaze fell to the ground as he contemplated his next move. The gargant cave had become inaccessible by the time they had returned from Terra but now it was completely caved in. Quina, the Thief thought to himself, may have been able to trek across the continent, climb its tall mountains, and cross the ocean back to the Mist Continent on his/her own but he'd never be able to do that himself, especially given his current condition. He was silent for a long time as he weighed his options and just when everyone assumed he was out of ideas, he looked up:

"You got any gysahl greens?"


	3. Melody

"Zidane... you're not this stupid."

They stood about ten minutes from the village, where the plains stretched out along the ocean. Two forests lined either side of them, though one was considerably larger than the other, and a small mountain jutted out of the plains on the other end. At Zidane's feet, a stream of v-shaped tracks could be seen imprinted into the ground and it wasn't long before the creature they belonged to appeared.

"Hey, Choco never steers me wrong," he shrugged, choosing to ignore Lani's apparent insult, and fed the chocobo the gysahl greens in his hand. It was clear that Choco was elated to see his Master once again and the feeling was mutual.

Lani blinked. "It's a damn chocobo! And you're still hurt!"

"Thanks for the concern, babe," he flashed a grin at her and rubbed his hands clean from handling the chocobo's treat, "but I've got it from here."

The bounty-hunter shook her head. This morning she had found him seemingly dead and now he was going to fly home on a golden bird. But there was no use arguing. If there was one thing she learned about Zidane over the past 12 hours, it was that once he had his mind set on something, that was it.

Zidane tossed the bag at his side over his shoulder. The moogles were kind enough to offer him some items for the road free of charge, though he was sure he wouldn't run into monsters on Choco anyway. Still, in his condition, it was better to be safe than sorry. He didn't have a weapon to defend himself if a fight did occur but at least he'd be able to prevent any further injuries.

Now perched atop the chocobo, Zidane stared out at the plains before him silently working his route. He considered stopping by the Black Mage Village, as Mikoto had already returned there after declining Zidane's offer to travel back with him, but there would be plenty of time to visit later. Right now, his sights were set on Lindblum.

"Hey, Lani..." said Zidane before readying towards the nearest forest for take off. She turned on her heel, having already started back to Madain Sari, and gave him a pointed look. "Thanks for saving my life."

IX

Zidane sighed, tossing his bag to the ground. His original plan was to head straight on to Lindblum but regardless of the fact that Choco could fly, he was still a chocobo, and they weren't particularly fast in comparison to airships or boats. Even still, he needed rest as exhaustion, from not only the trip but also his various injuries, was beginning to take its toll. So, he directed Choco toward the small forest to his right and decided to camp just outside of it.

Unfortunately, because this little camping trip was unplanned, the supplies he brought was of no use to constitute a proper little overnight stay. Especially without his friends. Usually, he would have Vivi along to start a fire, Quina to find and cook food, Freya or Amarant to pitch up their tents, and Steiner to keep watch for various monsters. Eiko, not surprisingly, would be far too busy ordering everyone else around and Dagger had taken the role of healing the party from their various battle wounds.

Reaching into his pocket for the flute he was surprised was still there, Zidane played a little tune and sure enough Moguo appeared as quickly as Choco would at the sight of gysahl greens.

"What is it, kupo?" asked the moogle suspiciously and Zidane could only assume he was still upset from their last encounter.

"I'm heading toward Lindblum but I need to call it a night."

Moguo nodded, handing over one of his tents without question. Zidane had stopped formalities only after the fourth or fifth time he'd called the moogle, even despite his rusty companion's demand for decorum. But Moguo didn't mind. Just as long as the party didn't bother him needlessly, he would gladly come to their every beck and call.

"Thanks, Moguo," he said, over his shoulder, as he placed the tent on the ground to set it up.

Moguo was ready to skitter off but something seemed odd. This was the first time he'd ever seen Zidane on his own like this, never mind the chocobo sleeping not five feet away from him. "Do you need some help with that, kupo?" he asked, as Zidane fiddled endlessly with the knots at the tent's end.

"Hmm?" the Thief muttered, "Oh, no, I've done it before. Once. Maybe."

Moguo shook his head. Taking the ends of the tent, the moogle flew into the air and held it in place while Zidane fastened the bottom. Effortlessly, the tent was pitched and Zidane shrugged, satisfied. "Thanks."

"Call me again anytime, kupo!"

As the moogle disappeared into the darkness, again the Thief found himself mulling over his journey with his friends. Things were usually quite chaotic but some of their best memories were spent during their rest stops. They would just relax by the fire as Zidane told one of his countless Tantalus stories, Quina blabbed on and on about gourmet recipes, or Freya or Steiner regaled them with tales from their respective days spent as knights. Sometimes Eiko would take the forefront to proudly boast about Madain Sari, a topic that of course fascinated her sister summoner. Even Amarant got in a story or two, albeit rarely.

But some nights they would just sit in silence, all eight of them, and take in the beautiful night sky.

Zidane plopped down onto the ground, his tail skittering listlessly across the dirt, and decided to do just that. The sun had now disappeared behind distant mountains and the skyline darkened with each passing moment. It wasn't as alluring as some of the skies he and his friends had spent admiring but it reminded him of their time together all the same.

More specifically, it reminded him of Dagger.

He felt like he hadn't seen her in weeks, though the image of her staring down at him as the Hilda Garde 3 took her away was still so fresh in his mind. She had left him with such beautiful words but her eyes said so much more. Even more than Zidane could ever truly comprehend.

He then thought of her voice, her sweet, angelic voice as she would sing the song that healed her heart whenever she felt sad or lonely and it was then he realized it did the very same for him. He only wished she was there with him now, so he could hear it one more time. But she wasn't.

So, he sang her song. Their song.

Until sleep overtook him.


	4. Reunion

"Princess, you've got to eat something."

Steiner's plea fell on deaf ears, as Dagger had no intention of listening to a thing he was saying. She didn't want to eat, she didn't even want to get out of bed, but having slept for the better part of the last three days, she didn't have much of a choice.

"I'm fine, Steiner," she said tiredly, "Go enjoy dinner with the others."

"I understand you are concerned about Zidane but—"

"I'm not—" she turned her gaze to the floor. There was no sense in trying to convince anyone otherwise; they could all see right through it. She was doing her best to stay optimistic but a thousand scenarios flooded her mind every time she thought about Zidane in the Iifa Tree. Alone. With Kuja. "I'll be down in a minute," she relented, ultimately deciding that maybe a nice meal with her friends would distract her from her overwhelming thoughts.

Steiner, satisfied with her answer, gave her a final salute before trotting down the steps to renter the castle.

As he rounded the corner, Zidane was standing at the entrance and Steiner almost ran right into him. When their eyes met, the Thief could see his face run cold. "ZID—" Tackling Steiner, Zidane dragged him into the engine room before Dagger could hear his scream. When they'd made it, Steiner jerked his arm away from the Thief's grip and started right in on him, not without making sure his voice was inaudible to the Princess above first. "What are you doing sneaking about? The Princess was worried sick!"

"I just got back," said Zidane, resisting the urge to make a remark about Steiner's lack of concern for his well-being. "It wasn't easy getting past security."

"You snuck up here?!"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"You could have had someone notify the Regent-"

Zidane sighed. This wasn't the time for a good old fashioned back-and-forth with the Princess' beloved bodyguard. "I wanted to talk to Dagger first. Just give us a minute, we'll join you guys in a few."

Steiner paused, considering. He knew the Princess would surely want to know right away that Zidane was okay, but it was hardly appropriate to let him run about the castle without permission. Not that the Regent would mind... "Very well," he relented, "but do hurry. We'll be waiting."

He started off in the opposite direction, but after a moment, he stopped to call after the Thief.

"Zidane!" He glanced over his shoulder to look back at Steiner. "Welcome back!"

They exchanged a nod and both went on their way.

When Zidane finally found the courage to ascend the steps, he saw Dagger leaning against the edge of the balcony overlooking the land below. And it reminded him of the very first time he saw her there. This time, though, there wasn't a young girl singing sadly to the birds, but instead a beautiful woman keeping her head held high despite everything that had happened. And that, Zidane realized, was the woman he loved.

Scratching a phantom itch on the back of his head, Zidane just shrugged: "Long day, huh?"

Dagger whipped around, her eyes searching for the familiar voice that had just spoke to her. Eventually, they settled on its owner. Zidane, who stood before her looking as though he'd been through hell and she figured that was probably a good description of whatever happened to him at the Iifa Tree anyway. Despite his injuries and bruises and tattered clothing, he cracked a grin that could only make her heart melt as swiftly as it made it pound.

"Zidane," she said, finally, not before convincing herself this was, indeed, not a dream, "You're here."

"Wouldn't wanna miss the big celebration. We saved the world!"

She didn't want to ask, it was more important that he was okay, but her curiosity got the better of her. "What happened?"

"I hurt myself pretty bad trying to get to Kuja. I don't remember much after he died—"

_Dead. Kuja's dead. It's over,_ she sighed to herself in relief but wished the thought away. She had every right to feel the way she did about the man who destroyed most of Gaia and killed her mother, but for Zidane's sake, she wouldn't dwell on it. It would only make things harder anyway. The past was the past and it was time to move on.

"—Lani found me not far from Madain Sari and the moogles there fixed me up."

"We shouldn't have left you there. I shouldn't have..." she said, unable to ignore the tinge of jealousy she felt at the mention of the bounty-hunter's name. It wasn't Lani's responsibility to take care of Zidane, she wasn't even friends with him or the rest of the party. In fact, she tried to kill them on more than occasion and all of a sudden, she's supposed to be trusted with his life?

"Hey, don't blame yourself. Besides, I'm fine now!"

"You're not fine!" Dagger spat, her eyes darting from one injury to the next, "You look terrible!"

"Geez, thanks."

"I'm sorry," she sighed, "It's just that I... we were all so worried."

"I'm a bit beat up, yeah, but I'll heal in no time. Promise."

When he flashed that grin of his again, Dagger couldn't help but smile sweetly back at him. He could be beyond frustrating, shrugging things off that weren't to be taken lightly, but that was part of his charm, she decided. He wouldn't be Zidane if he wasn't trying some grand stunt in the name of friendship or romance.

"I'm just glad you're alright," she said, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace.

Resting his hands on the small of her back, Zidane pressed his cheek against the top of her head, breathing in the sweet scent of her short raven hair. He closed his eyes as her fingers moved slowly over the gash on his shoulder, her warm touch seemingly healing the wound instantly. As she lifted her head from his chest, he looked down at her, their eyes locked in a smouldering gaze for what seemed like eternity.

"We should probably get going," said Zidane, halfheartedly, as they parted, "Everyone's waiting, huh?"

Dagger nodded, not without hesitation, and stepped to the side, allowing him to lead the way. She watched him walk away, for a moment, before ultimately following suit, her emotions having over swept her like a strong ocean wave. She didn't know what the future held for either of them, together or apart, but she had a feeling it was going to be quite the whirlwind.

IX

In the Conference Room, the party of six sat as they awaited the Princess' arrival. Steiner had insisted she would be down momentarily, all the while suspiciously going on about another guest that would join, but refusing to elaborate any further. Beatrix had caught on almost immediately but she decided to keep her revelation to herself. If the Princess didn't show up soon, Steiner would surely crumble under the pressure of his 'secret' anyway.

"Ah, you've finally decided to join us," said the Regent as Dagger belatedly entered the room, "We were just getting ready to sit down and eat."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you all waiting."

"It's quite alright, Your Highness," said Beatrix, indicating her seat on the left of the table beside herself and Steiner.

Dagger stepped forward, surveying the buffet. At the end opposite of the Regent and Lady Hilda, an eleventh place was set. She glanced towards Steiner, who gave her a reassuring nod, and smiled. As she took her seat, the Regent gave the signal and everyone began to dig in.

Before anyone could ask when the final guest would show up, he appeared at the entrance, completely unnoticed until he spoke.

"Hey, guys. Missed me?"

Suddenly, the quiet room came alive with chatter as bodies moved to greet and hug Zidane. Some berated him for his foolishness, others were simply glad he was okay, and one or two of them were more preoccupied with finally getting to eat, but there was one thing they could all agree on: it was great to have everyone together again.

Finally, Zidane sat, piling food upon his plate as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"We have to promise to stay friends! No matter what!" Eiko was saying to the group after their meal had finished. They were all scattered around the room, engaged in their own little conversations, so she spoke loud and clear to ensure every single one of them was listening. "And we have to promise to go on adventures some times too!"

"I don't think it's wise to go seeking out trouble," warned Lady Hilda, taking a seat at the throne by Cid's side.

"It doesn't have to be dangerous!"

"Don't worry, Eiko," reassured Dagger, kneeling down to her sister summoner's eye level, "I don't think any of us have any intention of losing touch."

"But everyone has to promise! Right now!"

One by one they all agreed, if only to shut her up, though they did intend to keep their promise as best they could.

Dagger glanced over her shoulder at Zidane. "I promise," she said as the last to agree, though she was clearly speaking to him more to anyone else. Everything between the two of them was certainly muddled at the moment but regardless of whatever happened, she refused to leave him out of her life.

"Why don't we all get some rest?" Cid cut in, "It's been quite a day."

IX

Zidane tossed and turn in his bed. For someone who needed rest, he sure wasn't getting any. He couldn't explain it but he'd never felt more awake in his life. Jumping up, he began to pace the room as restlessness overtook him. He wanted to talk to Dagger but she had been moved to the Royal Chambers once he had returned, a transfer he could only assume was orchestrated by Steiner.

Suddenly, as if lady luck was on his side, he could hear a voice in the distance. It was, of course, Dagger... and she was singing their song.

He wasted no time, hurrying up to the top of Lindblum's Grand Castle, where she stood, once again, by the telescope.

Before Zidane could announce his presence, Dagger had heard his footsteps behind her. She turned and flashed him a warm smile, causing an unfortunate end to her sweet song.

"I didn't wake you, did I?"

Zidane shook his head. "Can't sleep."

"Me neither."

"I'll keep you company then," he said with a grin and jumped up onto the edge of the balcony.

Dagger glanced over at him, reminded of the last time she saw him up there. She was standing in this very spot and Zidane insisted on taking her on a date if he won the Festival of the Hunt, which he did, in fact, do. But with far more important things to worry about, it never happened. Her cheeks began to warm at the idea she was getting but she decided to be bold.

"How about we go on that date I owe you?"

Zidane almost fell backwards. "Wh—"

"Well, we have nothing else to do," she explained, "and it would be nice to get away from the castle for a bit."

"I-I don't know, Dagger," he stammered, his eyes darting everywhere else but at her. "Where would we go?"

She frowned. "Isn't that for you to decide?" Granted, she'd never been on a date before but she was quite sure it was proper etiquette for the man to choose the place of interest. "You do know Lindblum better than anyone else." She paused for a moment, unsure if this was a question she wanted to ask, but ultimately went for it anyway: "Well... where would you normally take a girl?"

"Back to my place," he mused to himself, but as Dagger shot him a glare that could almost melt steel, he realized he'd said it out loud, "That was a joke."

She placed her hands on her hips. "Zidane!"

He was quiet for at least two or three minutes after that, as he tried to think of the perfect place to take her. It wasn't as if she was expecting some grand outing, but he wanted to do her justice and something like a dinner or a play hardly seemed appropriate. Unfortunately, he couldn't think of anything so he decided to play it purely spontaneously.

"Come on," he said, reaching his hand out for her to take and though initially suspicious of whatever he was plotting, she took it. "Let's go."


	5. Effort

**A/N:** Big thank you to those reading/reviewing/enjoying so far! It means a lot, especially seeing as I haven't participated in the 'fanfiction world' in years. But to quote Dagger — "So glad to be back." By the way, I can't be the only one who listens to the OST while writing, can I? The music for this game is just way too beautiful, it sets the perfect mood. Anyway...

* * *

This was hardly what Dagger had in mind for her long-awaited, yet long-avoided, date with Zidane. In fact, it was the total opposite. A candlelight dinner, an airship cruise — these were the types of activities one would expect on a romantic outing. But there was nothing romantic about any of this. It was dark and damp and cold and Dagger swore if she heard _that_ noise one more time, she would make good use of her Whale Whisker and tear Zidane a new one for getting her into this mess in the first place. That is, if she ever got out of it.

She breathed deeply as her heart pounded against her chest. She knew she didn't need to be afraid, she had the power of Eidolons on her side, and her White Magic could protect her from any harm, but she just couldn't wish the fear away. It was quite different fighting on an open field with all of her friends, rather than being stuck in a cave alone... with noises like _that_ one.

Dagger blanched, the mysterious sound stirring from the depths of the darkened cavern. Quick of wit, she gripped her Rod tightly before it crashed to the floor and revealed her to every single thing lurking deep within the murky cave. Suddenly, her stomach twisted in knots as she realized:

The noise had gotten louder.

She whipped around, her eyes desperately searching for the source, but she didn't dare seek it out. She wanted to high-tail it in the opposite direction and never look back but she couldn't risk getting even more lost. If only she could make it through the night, the morning sun would surely guide her to safety. Of course, the sun had only set just two hours ago, so she would be forced to endure this never ending nightmare until it rose once more.

Rod cocked in front of her, Dagger readied herself for impending battle.

_1..._

No longer sparse, the noise grew closer and louder with each passing moment.

_2..._

She inhaled, sharply. This was it.

_3..._

Flames engulfed every inch of darkness as Dagger called out for Ifrit, the summon directing his attack in absence; the cavern being far too small for him to make an appearance in person. Finally, the source of the noise revealed itself and Ifrit locked onto its target.

"Wait, look out!" she shouted, running forward and shoving her assumed assailant out of the way.

The cavern shook under the force of the summon's great power as flames plunged into the ground, swirling heat and wind and fire through the air like a tornado. Dagger leaned forward, shielding the initial target from harm until the Flames of Hell dissipated and Ifrit was gone.

The Princess slowly sat back on her heels. "Are you okay?"

Aside from almost being burnt to a crisp? "I'm fine," said Zidane, as Dagger helped him to his feet. "What about you?"

"What about me...?" she repeated slowly, as if the words were some foreign language, "What about me, Zidane?! You left me here scared and alone and I thought something was after me!"

She waited patiently for his explanation and/or apology but instead he just stared at her and shook his head dumbly. "Dagger..."

She exhaled harshly and turned her back to him, a motion Zidane was quite used to after traveling with her — and ticking her off — many times during their journey. If he had no intention of at least providing her with a little bit of comfort, she wasn't going to waste her time arguing with him. All she wanted to do was find the way out and now she had no reason not to. And if anything were to pop out at them, he would have to take care of it himself.

It took a bit of circling around but eventually they found the exit and they were back out in the grassy fields surrounding Lindblum. Dagger could smell the fresh water from Pinnacle Rocks and for a moment she considered it for a nice little stop on their date, but then she remembered that it had been a disaster so far and it was probably time to call it a night before it got any worse. It wasn't as though the place was all that great anyway; the legend of the ghost hiding there was no longer a legend of any kind to her and it wasn't exactly a paradise after the earthquake and Iifa's demise. She wasn't even sure if it was still accessible but that didn't matter now anyway.

"C'mon, Dagger, don't do this," he called after her, once she insisted she'd had enough 'fun' for one day. "I didn't mean to leave you."

When she paid no mind to his pleas, Zidane, in a last-ditch effort, skidded to his knees and clutched her sides in dramatic desperation. "Never again will I part from thee!" he cried out, clasping their hands together and over his heart, "Pray, my love, make me thy canary to keep forever in the cage of thy bosom!"

Dagger stared down at him. Even though he seemed to be mocking her more than anything else, she couldn't help but find the entire thing charming — adorable, even. He certainly knew how to weasel his way out of trouble, didn't he? "I shall follow thee throughout the world," she gave in, more truth behind the quoted words than he would ever know. With a glance back at the cave, she held out her hand for him to take. "Prithee, lead me from this place."

Zidane pressed his tongue against the back of his teeth in a grin and happily embraced her fingers with his own, taking her off towards their next destination.

IX

Shimmering brightly across the blanket of black that enveloped the horizon, stars dotted every inch of the skyline in chaotic swirls. Traces of faint mist lingered like fog after a rain but it was still the clearest sky anyone could ever remember seeing. In the middle of it all floated a golden chocobo, wings dipping lower then higher as it steadied itself under the weight of its passengers.

Dagger kinked a worried eyebrow at the bird. "Are you sure he's alright?"

"Of course, I'm sure!" Zidane chirped, thumping his chest with his fist in a silent plea for trust.

She wasn't so sure herself. It had to be exhausting for Choco to fly at all, let alone do so in a still position for an extended length of time. Apart of her felt as though it was cruelty but the bird seemed satisfied enough, even more so whenever his Master would toss him a gysahl green or two. "Alright," she said after a moment, "but if he starts getting tired, we'll land, okay?"

Zidane nodded. "No problem!"

Returning her attention to the true matter at hand, Dagger ran her eyes over the assortment of food and drink. "A picnic in the sky... That's definitely a first."

"Romantic, huh?" he beamed proudly.

While Dagger stopped by Pinnacle Rocks, Zidane had returned to Lindblum for supplies. He wanted to make sure he did something nice for her after the little incident in the cave and a picnic seemed like a good place to start. So, he visited every available shop in the Business District in search of an array of snacks and beverages to make up the perfect little picnic. Then, with basket in tow, he scoured several different locations where they could enjoy their picnic, but nothing seemed very exciting. He considered the telescope but there were too many chances for an interruption so he tried to find a place where they could get both the view and the privacy all in one.

And that, Zidane decided, was best achieved by having a picnic in the sky.

The view was even more amazing than the view atop Lindblum's Grand Castle. They could not only see the entire Regency below, but every area surrounding it. Pinnacle Rocks, the Harbor, the Dragon's Gate, the night sky blanketed it all beautifully but Dagger couldn't ignore the tinge of sadness it brought her as she surveyed the world below. Much of the beauty had been ripped from the planet along with Iifa's roots and she wasn't sure if it could ever be restored to its former glory. So many had lost their lives, even more had their lost homes, all in the span of the last few months. It was hard not to feel responsible for it all.

Silently, she made a note of using Alexandria's every available resource to aid the rest of Gaia but she pushed the thought from her brain and decided it was best for another time. It wasn't fair to either of them if her mind was on other things.

"For you," he offered, handing her a single white lily he'd no doubt picked from someone's yard.

She couldn't help but smile at the sentiment. "Thank you," she said, fastening the flower into her hair, "for all of this. I'm enjoying myself."

It took a little bit of convincing for her to agree to the picnic, but she was glad she gave in. Dagger was more than happy to have never been invited on one of Zidane's chocobo rides, not that a party of eight could ride on a chocobo anyway, and she was less than thrilled to finally get an invitation. She tried to persuade him into a normal on-the-ground picnic, but he wasn't going to give up and she wasn't going to spend all night arguing about it. Even though she was scared, it didn't take her very long to get used to it and now she actually quite liked it.

"I'm sorry about the cave. We probably should've just did this to begin with."

Dagger smiled sweetly at him. "Better late than never."

There was a pleasant silence after that as they enjoyed their meal and each other's company, at least until Dagger couldn't take the guilt anymore and begged Zidane to give Choco a break. Steering the bird toward a small forest near the Dragon's Gate, Zidane left him with some greens and offered to take his date on a little stroll by the beach while Choco rested.

Hand in hand, they ambled along the shoreline, enjoying the gentle breeze that emitted from the ocean's cool waters. It was almost tempting enough for a swim but it was a bit too chilly for that. As they walked, Dagger leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped a gentle arm around her. "Are you tired?"

"No," she shook her head, "Wide awake as ever."

"We can go if you want."

"That's the last thing I want."

A smile spread across Zidane's face. "I think I know where we can go to have some real fun."

IX

Once having spent their days seeking out Gaia's most valuable treasures or traveling from city to city performing wondrous renditions of literature's greatest screenplays, Tantalus now spent every waking moment working... and with no end in sight. Ever since Atomos' attack, the Regency fought to rebuild their empire by their own hand but for Tantalus, it seemed as though their repairs were all for not. It wasn't even as if their Hideout was that big to begin with, but it was the slowest task they'd ever undertook. Still, every citizen did their very best to aid the city in its restoration and Tantalus would be no exception.

Never say a thief can't contribute to society.

Outside the Hideout stood Zidane, holding out an expectant arm towards the entrance.

"Ladies first!"

As Dagger stepped forward to politely knock on the door frame of the opened entrance, Zidane just shook his head. Civility was hardly needed for a group like Tantalus but she was never one to barge in uninvited, friends or not.

"What the hell is that?" a voice shouted from inside and they both immediately recognized it as Blank's.

"I didn't do anything!" another voice shouted back, clearly belonging to Cinna.

"Oh for the love of—" Blank muttered, peeking outside until his eyes fell on the Princess. "Oh, hey! Did you hear that?"

"That was me," Dagger told him, "I was knocking on the door... frame."

"Oh," shrugged Blank, relieved that he wouldn't be forced to fix something else that was broken, "come on in then."

"How goes it, Princess?" asked Marcus from the ladder he was perched on, "You're up late."

"Zidane and I couldn't sleep."

Scattered around the room as they worked, the boys put down their various tools and gravitated towards the center of the table under the order of Baku, who had already taken a seat himself. Leaning his chair on its back legs, their Boss stretched out his own on the table, as Marcus, Cinna, and Blank took the chairs across from him. Zidane sat off to the side, turning his chair around backwards to face them, and Dagger opted for the seat to his right.

She couldn't believe she was going to spend the rest of her night with a bunch of thieves but her royal heritage be damned, she wanted to. She would finally get a glimpse into what Zidane's life was like before she found her way into it and she was quite excited about it. He had told her stories about his time in Tantalus but it was an entirely different thing to actually experience it up close and in person. True, it wasn't as if she was accompanying them on some sort of criminal exploit but she was spending a night in their world all the same.

Ruby, who had conveniently shown up about ten minutes after the pair, found herself taking on the role of waitress as she fetched the group some drinks while they played catch up. It was as if Zidane had never left and she had never been left behind.

Dagger stared at the now filled mug that Ruby placed in front of her. She knew it was alcohol, she could smell it even before it made its way into her glass. She was all for hanging out with Zidane's friends but she wasn't sure if she wanted to partake in anything like this. Placing her fingers around its handle, she lifted the glass slowly and stuck her nose above it, inhaling its strong contents. The beer smelled even worse up close but it wasn't the most horrible scent to ever plague her nostrils. Becoming a bit of an expert in medicine, she knew there were far worse things.

_I suppose one glass won't hurt, _she decided and tossed back the mug, the cool sensation sliding down her throat and almost immediately warming the inside of her stomach. When she placed the glass back on the table, it was empty, and every member of Tantalus was gaping at her.

"Well, I'll be a jumping Cactuar!" Ruby gasped with a hand over the side of her jaw, "You chugged that like a pro, Princess!"

Dagger smiled sheepishly at the group and Ruby promptly refilled her glass before pouring one of her own. It wasn't long though before she was right back up serving the boys and their new companion yet another round.

"So, Ruby," said the Princess, in an effort to include her beyond refill demands, "how's show business?"

"Well—" she started but her voice drowned underneath the rest of the boys yelling over one another in what they apparently considered a conversation. "Forget about it, darlin'," she said, leaning in close to Dagger, "you won't get a word in with these boys shootin' off at the mouth."

The two shared a private giggle until Ruby sauntered off into the back room and then a loud snap of cards being slammed against the table jolted everyone's attention to Baku — who was now barking orders about some sort of game. Dagger tried her best to follow along but his directions became more and more confusing by the second. She could play Tetra Master as well as the next person but whatever he was going on about certainly wasn't the game she was used to.

"But shouldn't he get your card?" she asked as she watched Baku and Zidane start out.

"Gwahaha!" Baku bellowed while Zidane tossed back his glass, "No! Instead of giving over the card, you gotta take a swig!"

She nodded as if she understood but truthfully, she didn't. The basic point of Tetra Master was to collect cards, especially the rarer ones, but she was beginning to think this wasn't Tetra Master at all. And by the time it became her turn, she realized she was right.

"Your turn!" Marcus told Dagger after placing a card of his own on the table, a Mu card with one arrow. Easily, she could've placed one of her own Mus on the table and she would've gained his card immediately. But that wouldn't be the case in this version of whatever game they were playing. So, she picked the highest card she had, a Grand Dragon with four diagonal arrows, and carefully placed it on the table.

Marcus hung his head as the rest of Tantalus started to chant — something inaudible to Dagger — at him and with a reluctant swing, he gulped down his full glass of beer within seconds.

"I don't think anyone's gonna beat that one," Zidane said, "Nice one, Dagger!"

Dagger smiled brightly at him though she refused to ask how she even won in the first place. The rules were no clearer now than when Baku first explained them but apparently she was doing something right because she had yet to lose a turn and be forced to down a drink of her own. Though she and the rest of them were doing that anyway, which made the game seem all the more pointless and confusing.

"Beat that!" Zidane shouted as he slammed a now alcohol dampened Oglop card onto the table.

Through the expectant looks of Zidane and his Tantalus brothers, Dagger realized it was her turn again but staring at her two remaining cards made her wish it wasn't. All she was left with were the two little Mus she'd considered playing against Marcus and those would hardly fair against Zidane's Oglop; she didn't need to understand the game to know that.

"Come on, Your Highness..." he drawled, tapping the top of the table.

With a loud sigh, Dagger flicked one of the Mus onto the table which, of course, failed to beat his and promptly took her losing drink.

But the opportunity for revenge presented itself when Zidane was left with nothing to play but a Fang card that her last Mu was able to beat with ease. She teased him at first, feigning a deep frown that would have tricked him had she held it a bit longer, but her anxiousness got the better of her and she happily threw her final card onto the table.

Much to her surprise, everyone at the table took a final losing drink and she was declared the official winner.

While they wound down from the game, Dagger's eyes circled around the table, taking notice of the effects that losing had on the others; more specifically Blank, who had lost more times than she could care to count. So much, in fact, that he was now speaking as if his tongue had been removed.

As Ruby reappeared for another round, the Princess found herself trying to decipher her own current state. Staring intently at the beer that was flowing into her glass, she tried to calculate just how many drinks she'd had so far. She was quite sure it was three but it felt more like four and apart of her wondered if it was really five. Eventually, she snapped out of her daze and it occurred to her that she was feeling a bit different than when they first arrived.

"I think I've had enough."

Zidane turned to her. "Why's that?"

"I feel a little..." she started but she didn't know the word to describe it so she began to gesture aimlessly about. She certainly wasn't drunk though; she felt fully coherent, she didn't feel sick, and she was very aware of everything going on around her. "I feel a little..." she repeated, again throwing around her hands in an attempt to explain.

"You probably need to eat something," said Zidane. "It's been a while since we ate last."

Baku agreed. "Ruby, get us some grub out here, will ya?"

"You got it, Boss!"

A couple of drinks later, Ruby emerged with a heaping pile of food and everyone was quick to dig in.

Returning from a brief break to freshen up, Dagger moved towards her chair, plate in hand, but frowned when she realized it was now taken by Ruby. She didn't mind, but when she scoured the area for more chairs and came up empty, she wondered what she was going to do now. Everyone else had already taken their seats and unless she decided to eat in one of the beds in the back, she was either going to have to sit on the floor or stand up. Neither of which seemed very appealing.

"Over here!" grinned Zidane, inviting her to take a seat on his lap.

With a simple shrug she sat and, ignoring the shock on Zidane's face, leaned forward, grabbing herself a bite of food. When she offered him some, he playfully tried to take it from her hands with his mouth but she pulled it away. Just as he was ready to give up, she pushed the food between his lips and let out a thunderous laugh, one that could only be attributed to the copious amounts of alcohol she'd already consumed. Zidane feigned a frown, prompting Dagger to feed him a bite without teasing, and then returned the favor.

"It's good," she said, licking her lips clean of stray crumbs.

Zidane thumbed away the morsels she missed and the two shared a dreamy gaze that was only interrupted when Marcus scoffed loudly.

"Get a room."

Normally, Dagger would've recoiled into a mess of embarrassment and anger at a statement like that but instead she just grinned and threw a piece of bread towards him in an effort to shut him up.

He shook his head. "You're really something these days."

"So I've been told," said the Princess, smiling at Zidane over her shoulder.

"Ready for another round?" asked Ruby, as she cleared the empty plates that littered the table.

The group pushed their empty mugs toward her, previously filled with tea to complement their meal, and waited as their waitress returned with a fresh pitcher.

"Oh, ain't this just too much fun?" Ruby sighed happily, as she leaned over Blank to reach the rest of their glasses, "It's been so long since we all hung out like this!"

"I like when you hang out," Blank slurred, his beer sloshing around in his glass.

Ruby smiled, initially taking that as a compliment, but when she followed his gaze, she realized what he meant. Her eyes narrowed with deep anger but she didn't bother going off on him. Instead, she snatched the mug from his hands and poured its remaining contents into Baku's almost empty glass. Not that he was going to drink it, because he'd fell asleep some thirty minutes ago. "I'm cuttin' you off, Blank," she snapped, storming off to the back leaving the redhead with nothing.

"That's not fair!" he shouted after her, but she'd already disappeared. Plopping his head down onto his arms, he muttered more to himself than anyone else, "Remind me again why Boss let a girl in Tantalus."

"Probably because you begged him."

"Yeah," Blank spat at Zidane, "and you were right there alongside me eating up the idea!"

"Would you keep it down?!" Ruby hushed them after she returned to the table, pointing out their two sleeping companions, "Yer gonna wake 'em up!"

They glanced back at Baku who was still sleeping soundly at his spot at the table and then at Cinna who had passed out on the floor only after his second drink. Despite the noise, neither of them stirred once and it was clear they were out for the night regardless of how loud the others got.

"I'm going to bed," Blank whined after Ruby still refused him anymore beer. Stumbling towards the loft where the beds were perched, he gave up trying to use the ladder to the top so he opted for one of the beds on the ground floor instead. Marcus just shook his head, following after his bro, and took a bed of his own to call it a night.

Ruby plopped into the empty seat Marcus left, finally able to down a glass or two of her own. "Hope you had fun tonight, darlin'," she said, lightly tapping Dagger on the arm, "It's always good seein' these ol' boys. Even if they drive me smack up the wall!"

Dagger smiled brightly at her, then Zidane. "I had a lot of fun."

"Hey, Ruby," Zidane said before she could take off, indicating the now passed out Blank, "Go easy on him. He means well."

She nodded in silence, possibly contemplating his words, and then disappeared into the back for the final time.

"How are you feeling?" Zidane asked Dagger, as he rested his head on her shoulder and rocked her back and forth sprightly.

She let out a laugh. "Fine. Not drunk."

"Are you sure?" he asked with faux suspicion.

"Yes."

"We should probably get you back to the castle. Before Beatrix or Steiner realize I've kidnapped you again."

"It was of my own will," she reminded him but that was no different from the last time either. "Let's go."

IX

From their usual spot by the telescope it was no surprise they had a perfect view of the sunrise. Or almost perfect, as Zidane said, insisted his view was much better.

Dagger assumed that they would go their separate ways once they reached the castle, perhaps even get some sleep before it was time for everyone else in the city to start their day, but when Zidane realized the sun was set to rise soon, he convinced her to finish their date by watching the daybreak.

As she hardly found it appropriate to watch the sunrise separated from one another, she cautiously crawled atop the balcony and positioned herself in front of him, settling into his arms to ensure she wouldn't fall.

While the blackened sky gave way to dawn, a gentle whisper lingered in Dagger's ear and she could feel her entire body come alive from the sound. When she regained her composure, she obliged Zidane's request.

_Sing to me._

And so she sang her song, their song, until the morning sun finally rose over the distant mountains. For a moment, she wondered if Zidane had fell asleep to the sound her voice but the warmth of his cheek against hers proved otherwise.

"Zidane..." she spoke softly, uncomfortably. "Was this... Did I do everything right?"

"It was perfect," he reassured her, "So perfect."

She relaxed against him, the embarrassment draining away. "I thought so too."

All things considered, the date was a success. It didn't start out very well, but it was eventful to say the least, and certainly something they would both remember for a very long time. There, Dagger was glad he opted to go the spontaneous route, because she ended up having a lot more fun than she could have ever imagined. It didn't occur to her that fun could be a priority over romance during a date, but he'd managed to mix in a little bit of both and that made it all the more perfect. The entire thing definitely screamed Zidane and she decided she wouldn't want to have it any other way.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Zidane leaned forward and slid the dagger at his side out of its sling, holding it out for the Princess to see. As he turned it gently, she could see the colors adorned within it, its beauty only accentuated by the morning sun overhead. It was the most intricate piece of weaponry she'd ever saw. "I had this synthed for you earlier," he said, carefully handing her the small sword. "It's made of jewels not unlike your summoner ones."

She ran her fingers carefully across the beautiful blade, recognizing every jewel from an opal to a topaz to a garnet. "Zidane, this is gorgeous." She frowned, suddenly realizing how incredibly rude it was to accept a gift so wonderful without giving anything in return. "I don't have anything to give you."

He smiled a sweet smile that warmed her soul. "Yeah, you do."

She looked away from him in a blush and sheathed her new dagger into her belt, making a mental note of its presence so she didn't wind up stabbing herself later. Perhaps, when she returned to Alexandria, she could put it on display for the entire kingdom to see. It was certainly far too extravagant to ever be used in battle, though she wouldn't know how to wield it anyway.

"Ah, there you are, Princess," said a gentle voice from behind the pair and they were both so thankful it wasn't Steiner because they surely would've been startled by his loud bellowing. And that would not bode well for the two who were hanging over the edge of the Castle several thousand feet in the air.

When she realized she was interrupting, Beatrix apologized. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I don't mean to intrude," she said with a salute, "I was worried when you weren't in your Chambers. Breakfast will be served soon; the Regent is expecting you." Instead of prodding like her Captain counterpart would have, the General simply exited the area just as swiftly as she'd entered it and left the pair to be alone once more.

Zidane let out a reluctant sigh and then hopped off the balcony, holding out his arms to help Dagger do the same. Guided by his steady hands, she gently slid down his body until her feet found the floor but neither of them moved, their eyes locked in a heavy gaze. His hands were on her neck now and then they were on her cheek and then his lips were on hers and she felt her head spin into infinity.

Brief hesitation followed, the absence of his lips taunting her in the split second that he'd removed them, but she feverishly brought them back against her own. Tentative, careful, and slow, their embrace turned hasty, eager, and all-consuming under her gusto. Her fingers tangled between the loose strands of blonde that rounded his face as he scooped her higher — closer — to remove any remaining space between them, though there was considerably little left to begin with. Sandwiched between a wall of balcony and Zidane, Dagger allowed him to lead their lips together again and again until all her sense of self was lost and she was left breathless and wanting more.

Her taste lingered on his lips as they parted and he savored the sweet flavor of satisfaction and bliss it brought him. He'd imagined, longed, and yearned for it for as long as he could remember and now that he finally had it, he never wanted to let it go — to let her go. Words of love, adoration, and devotion tugged at the back of his throat, desperately wanting, needing, having to be spoken but he swallowed them away.

"Goodnight, Dagger," Zidane breathed in a low whisper that caused a prickly sensation under her skin.

Dagger moved away from him, their fingers the last to separate. "Goodmorning, Zidane."


End file.
